Prosper Ndebele (25), Kingdom Makgetha (32), Given Shumba (38), Ezekiel Matlala (39) and Thulani Sithole (40) were remanded in custody upon appearance in the Brits Magistrates’ Court on 24 August 2020, on charges of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition as well as possession of housebreaking implements. They will all appear in court again on Friday, 28 August 2020, for formal bail application.
The accused appeared in court following their apprehension on Friday, 21 August 2020, near Afsaal filling in Bokfontein outside Brits. That was after police acted on information about alleged conspiracy to commit business and house robberies in the vicinity of Mooinooi. Police in Mooinooi in collaboration with members of Brits Tactical Response Team (TRT) and Rustenburg Flying Squad cornered a white Nissan minibus with Gauteng Province registration number at about 20:45.
The vehicle and the occupants were searched. Consequently, a revolver was found in possession of one of the accused while a 9mm pistol with magazine loaded with 10 ammunition was found in the minibus. As result, all six occupants were arrested. Furthermore, house breaking implements that included a big bolt cutter, hand gloves, baton and pepper spray were found in the accused’s vehicle.
Investigation into the matter continues and possibility of linking the accused to other cases cannot be ruled out.
The North West Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena expressed his appreciation to the members for their collaborative effort which resulted in the arrest.
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